Pokemon Apokelypse
by Princekamrous
Summary: Pokemon battling has been outlawed and viewed as cruelty and gyms shutdown. But Team Rocket has stepped in to fill the void with underground fighting pits which Ash, Misty, and Brock knowingly take part in. How long can things go on like this?
1. Chapter 1 No one was prepared

Okay so after viewing the fan made trailer for Pokemon Apokelypse I just had ideas running through my mind about how awesome it would be and I had to write something after seeing that nobody had. It seemed kinda shocking to me after seeing something so epic, but I felt like it needed to be done. My other story I kinda flaked on, but this one I could definitely stick with. I love Pokemon and I'm excited to see just how this story will evolve (get it? Hahah!), and I am going to be including all the scenes and lines from the trailer so it's definitely going to be the original work.

All right so we will get the liability crap outta the way. I'm not affiliated with or own Pokemon or its trademarks, blah blah blah. Also Pokemon Apokelypse was not my idea, I'm merely expanding on the fantastic ideas presented in the fan trailer. Enjoy ^^

1) No one was prepared…

A dark figure stood outside an alley in the city of Celadon, Kantos city of rainbows in the past. Once upon a time it had been a bright city with promises of nothing but happiness and a sense of security that could only come from decades of quiet and safe contradictive city life. That was in the days before Pokemon training had been banned as an act of slavery, before battling was considered cruel and unusual punishment, and before Team Rocket had found its niche in the darkened and rotten underbelly that would one day become the center of their dealings. All was better in a day not so long ago when Pokemon Trainers were a loved and accepted norm.

"How'd we do tonight?" A sharp feminine voice rang out from down the street. The darkness of the night folded around her, obscuring her body and face with an air of mystery while the dim street lamps threw shining highlights through her red hair.

"Not bad. No matter who comes out on top, the house always wins." The man grinned, shoving a wad of bills into his pocket as he pulled his jacket together. Summer was ending as an early fall chill crept through the night, hot on the heels of all the late night Pokemon Pit gamblers as they headed home from another bountiful evening of violence.

The woman laughed, a cold unfeeling sound, with a hand on her skirted hip. "Wonderfully ironic isn't it? After all the years we spent trying to steal Pokemon and money from these worthless trainers and in the end it's us who they crawl to just so they can continue their ways of life."

"I'd say its poetic justice if you ask me. We spent so long on the bottom that karma is finally seeing things our way." Taking a long breath, as if sampling the air for a scent he found pleasing the man paused before continuing. "The boss is happy since training is never going to actually stop and we are more in his favor than ever now that we've got these Pitts running smoothly."

A glint appeared in the dark as light shone from the womans perfect teeth as she smirked. "Oh I do love the smell of victory in the evening."

A Meowth stepped forward with a roll of his eyes as he flexed his claws in annoyance. "Meowth! It looks like Team Rockets finally blasted off in a good way this time!"

The man and woman laughed in unison, both sharing the same thought. The man spoke before the woman could, "things can only be going our way after that damn Pikachu we hunted so long is finally working under our own pretenses!"

The woman then pitched in her own voice to end the thought. "It might as well be ours now! After all the money we make off of it… its doing more to advance Team Rocket with that kid than we could have ever done with it by ourselves!" Laughter rang into the night as the three shared a long gloat over how well things had been going.

Eventually the trio left to return to their hideout for the night and to catch some well earned sleep, before returning to their profitable profession the next night.


	2. Chapter 2 Surviving

2) Surviving…

A phone was ringing across the room, leaving the small apartments soul inhabitant groaning on the couch. After one successful attempt at ignoring the caller, his hopes were immediately dashed when the call resumed not five seconds later. Swinging his legs to the floor and rubbing the sleep from his eyes, Ash Ketchum, twenty two years old and at his home in Cerulean, looked out the window to see the sun just rising between the skyscrapers of the city of rainbows. He stood and walked quickly, grabbing the phone without looking at the caller ID. "What?" He demanded in a gruff sleepy voice.

"Whoa Ash take it easy. It's Brock. Don't ask questions, just turn on the news. Channel thirteen. I'll wait."

So he grunted in response and walked to his entertainment center and turned on his flat screen, quickly flipping through the first few channels after grabbing the remote. What looked at first like just another anti trainer riot flashed on screen and he almost turned it off without even caring what it was about. But something caught his eye, something familiar to him. Ash squinted at the sign that was out of focus behind the reporter. "Is that…?"

"Vermillion. Lieutenant Surge has finally lost it. He barricaded himself in the gym earlier this morning and refused to leave. He set up a perimeter of Magneton outside to keep people out and supposedly he's got a bunch of Voltorb and Electrode surrounding the walls inside."

"What time is it?"

"It's almost eleven. He's been at this since six this morning, at least that's when someone first noticed. He's been in there screaming about the rights of trainers all morning and how it's our duty to battle Pokemon against one another… he's been raving like a lunatic. Seven anti trainer protestors have already been rushed to the hospital for intense burns from his damn Magneton and he's got his Raichu on the roof using thunderbolt on any police who try to come near."

Ash let out an irritated snort. "Well he always was an asshole…"

"That's not the worst of it though…" Brock cut out as a roar of voices broke out around him. "Shit! I gotta go Ash, a Graveller just fell from a platform onto one of the miners! Meet me at- I'M COMING! Meet me at Rainbow Park in two hours!" His words cut off with a definitive click of the phone being slammed down onto the receiver.

Ash sat down watching as the reporter talked about police having a new plan to detain the insane former gym leader. Two Kadabra were brought in ahead of a group of five Golem. Together the Kadabra used their psychic abilities to restrict the Magneton before the Golem went about their orders. A faint padding of small feet reached Ash's ears and he looked down in time to see Pikachu hopping up into his lap. The Pokémon nuzzled against his chest and he stroked its back with his hand as he watched it. Pikachu had been being especially affectionate lately when they weren't in the fights, like he was afraid he wouldn't be with Ash anymore. "Pika-chu," the mouse mumbled quietly.

A small smile cracked his stoic expression as he rubbed Pikachu's back, "it's gonna be okay buddy. I promise." Thinking about things being okay made him think about journeying again with Brock and Misty like when they were kids, back when everything made sense. Thinking about the past however just brought up pains from the present, a lot of which involved thoughts of Misty. Things between Ash and Misty had been strained since battling, and by association training, had been outlawed. Both of them had been in various relationships off and on and just trying to get by, but Ash hadn't been able to talk to her much from a mixture of jealousy and a heavy feeling in his chest whenever he thought about what she had been doing since-

"… And the team of Golem have entered the building ladies and gentlemen! Surge should be in police custody within the next few minutes." The reporter on the television spoke with a mixture of excitement and pained apathy. Lieutenant Surge had been one of the strongest sources of opposition for the ban on battling and a lot of people had thought of him as a hero of sorts to the good old days. To see the man fall so far must have been a real let down for a lot of his supporters.

Several tense moments passed as Ash absent mindedly watched the T.V. while petting Pikachu, who had curled up in his lap, his thoughts far from the couch he sat on. Suddenly a brilliant white light shone through the windows of the former Pokemon gym, almost blinding all who stood in protest and curiosity for the spectacle, before explosions rocked the area and sent several people to the ground with their hands covering their heads. The reporter and his cameraman stayed on their feet, getting the shocking footage as the sounds of several dozen, either Electrode or Voltorb, using explosion throughout the building, rocking Vermillion city for several blocks.

As the smoke cleared and the explosions cut out, people rose to their feet to gaze in quiet awe at what had happened. Ash had stopped petting Pikachu, and even the electric mouse had lifted his head to watch what was happening.

"My goodness ladies and gentlemen! Whether or not you are just joining us, we have just witnessed the total destruction of the Vermillion city Pokemon gym, where Lieutenant Surge had barricaded himself inside not five hours beforehand!" Behind the reporter a few weak beams that hadn't yet collapsed shook with the tension of what little they held together. The building was mostly rubble and it was hard to even tell what the magnificent structure had even been a few short moments ago. "It isn't clear at the moment as to the fate of the former gym leader, but Lieutenant Alex James Surge is presumed dead by his own hand this morning. It is a sad day for all of Kanto to have lost such a valuable and heroic citi-" Ash shut off the T.V. and looked at Pikachu, who starred back at his trainer.

"Things really have changed eh buddy?" His voice was choked with emotion. Ash couldn't be sure of anything after seeing what he just had. But seeing that the destruction of everything he had once held dear and close to his heart, he wasn't sure he wanted to see what the future held. He faked a smile at Pikachu and gave him a small nudge to get off his lap, "come on buddy. I gotta go meet Brock in about an hour. I gotta go get ready."


	3. Chapter 3 Old Time's Sake

3) Old Time's Sake…

It hadn't taken Ash long to get ready. He showered, shaved, dressed in his usual outfit of a white shirt, blue jacket with black fingerless glove, jeans, shoes and his old hat, before he left his apartment. He wanted Pikachu to come with him, but he was afraid for its safety in the outside world lately. The last time the two of them had gone somewhere in public some lunatic had nearly dragged the Pokemon from Ash's shoulder to return him to the wild. Since then, well Pikachu hadn't been very happy about it, but he had only really been out of the place to go to the battle pits or to just go for a quick walk at night. So instead he spent a lot of time at home where he hung out with Pikachu and any of his other Pokemon who might have been with him from Professor Oak's lab. He didn't have a lot else to do and he didn't need a job since he was earning enough to get by in the pits.

After he left the apartment building he took his time getting to the park, sure that Brock would be late. He hadn't had the best sense of time lately. Ash reached the park and stood on the bridge he and Brock would often meet on before going to do something or just to talk. He stared out over the small river that wound in and around the park. There wasn't much to do these days except talk. At least not for Ash. All over the park there were kids with their parents, playing and being happy, each with a life to go back to and something in the world for them. But already at only twenty two years old, he was missing something, some part of himself that was essential, and he could survive without it, but he couldn't really live.

"Hey man! Hope I didn't keep you waiting too long Ash."

Ash turned to see his best friend and couldn't keep a grin down. Something about Brock always brought out a happier side of him. "Nah it's all good. Whats up? How've things been at the quarry aside from today's incident?"

Brock shrugged "Eh it's a quarry. Thank Mew we have the Pokemon to help us out or I don't know what we'd do. But we dig and get big hunks of rock. Nothing exciting. What about you? Got anything going in your life?"

"No. Well, other than…" Ash's voice trailed off and he shook his head. "You know. Pikachu says hi by the way."

"Oh that's good. I've missed you guys."

The conversation began to taper off and both of them just stood there, quietly waiting for the other to say something. But there really was nothing left to say. There was nothing happening, their lives were standing still while the world moved on, and they sat waiting for the past to come back. The smell of alcohol covered the short distance from Brock to Ash and the younger could smell it without difficulty, though its presence didn't shock him. The man had been taking up drinking as an excessive hobby lately since his brothers and sisters left home and there was no gym to run. He spent all his winnings from pit fighting on more booze.

Brock finally spoke. "Say, have you heard from Misty lately? Last I saw she did pretty well in the pits. Her Psyduck's really cut out for it. Who would have thought huh?" He chuckled thinking about how nearly useless the Pokemon had been in the past.

Hearing her name caused Ash to flinch internally and he had to shrug to keep it from being noticeable. "No. I haven't heard from her in almost two months. She's been busy with work and whatnot I guess… no time to catch up with each other you know?"

"That's not true… you two are just avoiding each other. Now that you aren't on the road together you don't have to face how you really feel on a daily basis. I can take you to see her if you want Ash." Brock fixed him with a caring stare. If the smell of alcohol on the man hadn't been so persistent, he might've reached to hug him.

"Thanks Brock… maybe… so why did you call me down here anyways?" It wasn't exactly a subtle topic change, but Ashe just wanted away from the subject of Misty. He didn't want to have to think about how he felt for her. It was just one more thing in a long line of disappointments that he didn't want to have to face.

"Well Ash… to tell you the truth I wish you had brought Pikachu with you… it might have been easier to say that way…"

"What might've been easier?" Ash fixed his friend with a cautious eye. He resisted the urge to look around the park for police. Brock would never turn him in like that, and he couldn't even believe that he had just had the thought.

"Well… I wanted to ask you to just leave the pit fighting."

"Brock… you don't get it… I-"

"Ash believe me I understand. It's a taste of the old days… of when things were better for us." Hearing the end of that sentence made Ash realize just how stuck they were. When things were better for _them_.

"Brock its more than that..." He paused. Not sure what to say, but Brock waited, seeing the hesitation on his face. "I… I wanna be the best. Like no one ever was."

A pained look came over Brocks face, knowing what he had to say, but he didn't want to have to say it. "Ash, there are no more masters. Everything we've worked for is gone. Can't you see the fights are getting worse? Pikachu's gonna die in those pits."

Ash was taken aback by what his friend told him and he wanted to yell at him, tell him it wasn't true, that everything would be fine, just like he promised Pikachu. But he knew it was. And he knew that someday Pikachu would get hurt, he just didn't want to face it. "I know…" His voice was little more than a squeak. "I just… I don't know what else to do you know?"

Brock nodded, trying to keep up a strong front for Ash. "I know buddy. Come on." He began walking back the way he came. "Let's go see Misty. We can get our minds off of this for a little while at least."

Ash hesitated to walk in the same direction. He wanted to see the girl, Moltres knew it, but he was afraid that he wouldn't like what he saw anymore more than anything. He was afraid that the next time he saw Misty, that he wouldn't feel the same for her again, and then he would be lost because his past would have abandoned him completely. Shaking off his fears Ash squared his shoulders and nodded. "Yeah… Let's go see her." He walked after Brock to catch up.


	4. Chapter 4 Just One

4) Just one…

Ash and Brock walked through the city, mostly in silence. The older of the two led, exchanging pleasantries with other passersby, while the younger walked with his gaze on the leader's feet he stuffed his hands in his pockets and kept his hat low over his eyes to avoid looks from other pedestrians. He couldn't but try to mentally prepare himself for what he was about to do. There was a reason Ash had never gone to see Misty at work after all… it just wasn't good for his sanity to see her like that.

"Hey Brock?"

"Yup."

"Is she, I mean… does she have..." Ash trailed off, not sure if he wanted to know the answer.

Brock laughed at him, but kept walking, "nah man she's been single for a couple months now."

"Oh. Okay… thanks." Ash only mumbled the words.

"No problem man."

Ash wasn't sure if it was a good or a bad thing. He still found it weird being so able to talk to Brock about Misty though. Having feelings for the girl since they were ten, and obvious feelings at that, hadn't made being together easy, but it had made being apart that much harder. She was on his mind over half the time and the rest of the time he wondered how he was gonna either get out of the pits and make something of himself, if he could do something to bring training back, or thinking about the night before. Rarely did he live in the present, let alone the future.

"Hey Ash! Corner of Marion and Feather, do we go left or right?"

"Its straight Brock, then the next right."

"Wow you are paying attention. You look like a zombie Ash."

Ignoring his friends comment, knowing he meant well, Ash walked the rest of the way in silence. He didn't care for the cheering up that Brock tried to do for him, but at the same time he wished he could sit and talk with the man about the confusions and troubles he was having. A lot of it would be regurgitated same old same old, but he was pretty sure that if they could just sit down and talk for a few hours they could eventually come up with something, anything, and make a better future for themselves.

Ash almost walked into Brocks back as he stopped. Looking up and meeting the back of the man's up tilted head, he saw the sign for Misty's place of employment.

"Were here." Brock said.

"I know."

"Well then, let's go." Brock went ahead and pushed the door open without hesitation.

Ash looked up at the sign with a sigh. It read 'Starmie's Gentlemen's Club.' Next to the wording was a picture of a woman with her hands on her hips and two Starmie covering her breasts. Shaking his head, Ash returned his gaze to the ground and walked through the doors after Brock. Inside there was a haze of smoke over the room, mostly from the fog machines and part from the men and occasional woman smoking. There was a multitude of smells that assaulted his senses and he started breathing through his mouth to avoid the stench that he couldn't quite label as good or downright acrid.

Looking to his left he spotted Brock at the bar, already ordering a drink while they waited. They came here often enough that they were known so someone would tell Misty, but not enough that they garnered any special importance to see her immediately. Brock was here more often than Ash though, which was no shock to anyone, and he actually spent money at the place. Despite the fact that Ash did enjoy the show that went on, he couldn't help but feel a little guilty knowing that not only did Misty work here, but knowing also that she felt the same way about him that he did about her.

She had told him a long time ago; "After working in this place for only a couple months, I can see that all men are pretty much the same. Love 'em and pay attention to them all you want, but the second a nice pair of tits enters their vision, that's all they see." Since then he had tried to defy that statement as best he could, but there was something about a naked woman that would always catch his eye, at least for a few seconds. It's not like he was a virgin now, it was just something he couldn't really control, and it bugged him.

Music began to play louder throughout the room and several people flocked to the main stage where the next dancer was queued up to come out. "Hey Ash wanna check it out?"

Throwing Brock a look that asked if he was stupid made the man laugh and nudge him in the ribs "Come on man loosen up a bit. Take this shot," he shoved a glass of what he guessed was whiskey in his hand, "and then come over to the stage and watch just this one. Besides its usually one dance at least before someone tells Misty were here. I promise she won't see you."

Shaking his head in amusement Ash fixed Brock with a serious look, trying not to let it break as he threw the shot back he put the glass on the counter and walked forward without waiting for his friend, who was grinning from ear to ear. "Thank god. I was afraid I was gonna have to drag you over there myself!" Brock looked at him, waiting for him to say something. "Come on man you're creeping me out. Say something!" One look at the stage and his attention was enraptured as the form of a woman appeared behind the artificial smokescreen, "never mind shut up and watch."

Ash let out a small chuckle and found a seat next to Brock at the front of the stage where they relaxed, waiting for the dancer to make her appearance. Behind the curtain of fog she had leaned down low, letting her hair flow down around her head and obscured her shadowed body as she touched her fingertips to her leg and slowly began to rise back to standing.

Brock nudged him in the ribs again and said with a grin, "Chicks do that when they like it doggy man!"

Ash laughed and looked down for a minute to keep him from bursting out. When he looked back up, still with a goofy grin on his face, the woman came from behind the smoke and stepped out onto the stage. Looking at her body, from legs up, Ash could feel a slight rise in himself. Long slender legs ran up towards a small body covered by a uniform that had to have come from one of the Officer Jennys. The womans arms were long and smooth, her skin a pale white in comparison to the bright orange red hair that hung loose to the middle of her back. Ash's senses returned too late as he looked up at the face of the woman standing on stage, who was staring back at his goofy expression with a raised eyebrow that he knew very well.

Misty continued her routine without missing a step and reached up for the hat on her head and winked before she threw it into the crowd behind Ash and Brock. He wasn't sure how his friend had taken the sudden surprise of seeing her on stage, but then again he wasn't entirely sure that the man's gaze would make it passed her chest for a couple of minutes. Misty reached for the pole on stage, her eyes now off of Ash entirely and focusing on the other parts of the room. Her other hand dropped to the buttons on her blouse and teased them open as she spun on her toe in the heels she wore with impressive grace.

After a minute or so of playing with the shirts buttons, it fell open and twirled around her as she danced about the pole, her exposed cleavage as white as the rest of her body. Ash wasn't sure if he should look away or keep staring, but one way or another she didn't look at him again after that initial raised eyebrow. The shirt was eventually gone over their heads and soon she began rolling her hips with her hands on them, working the skirt down her legs and eventually to the floor. Under the skirt she wore a g-string with a poliwag's swirl over her crotch and across her backside, the Pokemon's tail. Her bra detailed a Staryu with the gem centered over her nipples. The perfect outfit for a water Pokemon trainer gone stripper.

A fist full of dollars shot up from his left side and he looked at Brock, his eyes wide. "Brock… what the…"

Brock looked at him with apologetic eyes and began retracting his arm with a looked that said he was sorry he got caught. "Sorry man… got worked up you know?"

Ash shook his head and looked back at Misty who was on hands and knees in front of them, a pouty look in her eyes as she ran her cheek over the back of Brocks fist. His hand melted in that touch and she grinned at him, never once letting her eyes fall over to Ash. The bitch was trying to make him jealous and he knew it… and it was working. He watched, tapping his foot as she turned around and moved her body like a wave in front of Brock, waiting for him to put the bills into her g-string. With quick hands, and what Ash was sure was practiced ease, the man slide the seven ones into the band as she leaned forward as if worship of some god and rolled onto her back, spreading her legs and bringing them together over her head.

Not looking back at Brock for fear of seriously hurting the man for the look that was surely on his face, Ash focused on Misty, though it probably wasn't the wisest choice, with eyes that loathed her. How could she do this, not only with him in the room, but to the man they both knew would take any woman, short of his own family, to bed without a second thought. So he watched Misty, watched as she performed feats of grace and acrobatic skill that would have been amazing to see put to use during sex, and continued to watch until she at last removed her bra and dropped it to the stage without a second thought, baring her breasts for everyone in the room to stare at. After collecting the last round of bills from the rooms watchers, Misty turned and leaned over, blowing a kiss to the audience with a wink before she retreated off stage.

After not seeing the woman he had been crazy about since he was ten for two months, Ash was ready to kill both her and Brock for what they had just done. He retreated to the bar to get another drink, brood, and ignore Brocks babbled explanations and apologies. Today was turning into a real bitch.


	5. Chapter 5 Together Again

5) Together again...

Misty had walked back through the smoke and entered the dressing room with the other girls, counting her bills and threw her bra on the counter next to her makeup. "Hey Aqua?"

She turned, facing a shorter girl with large brown eyes and bright green hair. Aqua was the name that she went by when she was on stage, it just stuck with her throughout the building though. "What Val?"

"That dance tonight. That was really something! Think you can teach me some of those moves?"

Misty giggled. Those moves of hers were ones that she had first put together when she decided to apply at Starmie's. Of course she had altered it a bit since then. But she had shown Ash the original routine first just to be sure it would be good. He had approved with both uncertainty and a look in his eye that said he wanted her then and there. He'd never been crazy about her job, but the way she did it… well that was a different story. "I guess I could. Won't let them go for free though you know?"

"Oh that's fine! I can pay a little extra. It looks like what you get in return would easily outweigh what a couple lessons would be. Thanks!" The girl then walked away with a smile and a swagger.

Misty turned back to her mirror and began dabbing at her face with a tissue to remove her makeup. Seeing Ash in the crowd had both delighted her and lit a flame of jealousy that she couldn't get rid of. She hadn't seen him in so long that she smiled at first. But seeing the way he looked at her body with that look of… she couldn't even think of what that had been. But whatever it was, it hadn't been love or longing or anything she had tried hard to contain for those few seconds before he really saw her. Taunting him in return for being so unfeeling had been fun, enjoyable even. If not a little heartbreaking too. But he would forgive her. He always did.

Ash sat at the bar staring straight ahead awaiting the arrival of his fourth or fifth shot as Brock sat next to him, finally quiet. He had tried several times to apologize, saying that he just couldn't help himself and that it was really exciting seeing her like that. Ash had tried not to listen, but couldn't help doing so and found the whole situation extremely frustrating, and a little funny in a twisted sort of way. He wondered if that was just the sanity going, but then again he might've lost it a long time ago and not realized.

There was a tap on his shoulder from Brock and he looked at him with a raised eyebrow, just hoping it wasn't another apology. He just wished he knew what had pissed Misty off, and if he could fix it. "That chick just said she's waiting for us." He pointed over his shoulder to a woman who was walking away from them back towards the private rooms.

Ash took his shot as he got it and set it back down on the bar. "All right lets go." Together they stood and walked back to the normal room, the bouncer letting them pass with a nod of greeting. They had had plenty of talks with Terrance while waiting on Misty and probably didn't even need her okay to come back anymore with as well as they knew the man. Coming to Misty's room Brock rapped his knuckles on the door and they waited all of two seconds for an answer.

A loud squeal and a flash of red hair was all they saw as an arm was wrapped around both of their necks. "I've missed you guys like crazy!"

They both returned the hug and, once it was released and the two walked inside, Ash turned to her and spoke first as she closed the door. "Apparently some of us more than others." He raised his eyebrow, trying to appear stoic, like he didn't care about what she had done during her dance.

Brock shook his head and took a seat, waiting for the fight that was about to come to end before he said anything. After on a few months with them he had learned the routine.

Ash fixed her with look of vague interest in a quick once over and shrugged, "But then again I guess it's to be expected when someone's willing to give out money to see something he's seen a hundred times before."He was about to continue his attempt to make her feel bad when he noticed the look on her face. It was somewhere between hurt and wanting to kill him.

Misty, now dressed in a long blue silk robe with a wave design on the cuffs of the sleeves as well as the robes hem, put her trembling hands on her hips, the corners of her mouth twitching. "Ash Ketchum…" She let the statement end there, her words dripping venom as she wasn't sure which of the paths her mind was taking that she wanted to choose. At last she took a step toward him, her eyes meeting his in a glare. Ash was about to open his mouth, most likely to say something stupid that would only aggravate her further. She cut him off quickly with a tight hug that left him shocked as she rested her head on his shoulder. "Can we fight about that later? Please? It's been too long to fight first thing…" She looked him in the eyes, his look still calm and seemingly collected, but she could see the rage boiling behind the act. Misty smirked at him "even if it is what we do."

Ash starred at her for several seconds, his anger subsiding through no will of his own, and he finally smiled back at her, hugging her tightly. "Fine. I'll yell at you later then." He felt a fist connect with his shoulder playfully and he made a note to be sure to find out what it was about later. Though he couldn't be sure if their voices would be raised or not. Either way wouldn't surprise him.

From behind them they both heard Brock stand up and his arms reached around them both, capturing them in a tight bear hug. "Thank the gods! That saves us at least a half hour tonight!" He brought his hands up to their faces and pinched their cheeks while talking in a babying voice, "awwww just look at you two! Being all grown up and mature!"

Together they pushed him away, neither of them able to contain the smiles on their faces.

Pretending to dust himself off Brock looked them over once and cleared his throat. "Yes… well, Ash why don't we let the… uh…" He looked Misty over once and then looked back to his friend, "the lady change and then we can get out of here and go grab something to eat."

Before Ash could answer Misty had already grabbed their shoulders and turned them towards the door with her palms flat against their backs. "Out! 'Gentlemen.'"

Brock looked at Ash with a smirk and put his hands in his pockets as he leaned against the door. "Well I think that went quite well, don't you?"

"Pfft…" He only rolled his eyes in response and mimicked Brocks actions across the hall from him.

Several minutes later a more socially acceptable Misty peaked out the door and looked at the two before making her full appearance. She had dressed herself in a pair of jeans and walking shoes with a shirt that striped red and yellow horizontally with a black jacket over that. Her hair was up again in a side ponytail to the left. She waved to them and they both sighed in impatient relief, "I'm ready! Let's go!" She turned and walked toward the exit at the end of the hall, happy to see her old friends again. Today was the beginning of something good, they could all feel it.


	6. Chapter 6 A Time In The Sun

_Hey guys! Sorry I haven't posted anything up in a few days. I've been pretty sick and just haven't really had the drive to write anything up. But here's the newest one. Hope you all like it. Also thanks for the reviews I've gotten so far, they are always appreciated! Leave me one and let me know what you think of it so far if you haven't already. I really look forward to hearing your thoughts and not to mention really getting the story rolling on this thing. Its gonna be awesome! Thanks for the reads! Stick with me!_

6) A time in the sun…

The three walked down the street, almost having forgotten that it was only two in the afternoon in the dark club, and basked in the sunshine. All three of them felt a kind of youthful ignorance to everything around them just being together again, an ignorance that could have taken hold fully if not for the constant emptiness for where their pokeballs normally would be. They talked for a long time about unimportant things before they finally picked a restraint to eat in thanks to Brock being picky about where.

They sat down in a booth, looking out at the empty street and waited for their server to come. Misty was the first to disturb their silence. Her voice was low as she rested her head on her folded arms, staring up at the sky. "It seems so weird being together again after so long…"

Brock nodded, "it is. But not in a bad way. Maybe we could even backpack someplace again, like Saffron or something."

"Just like the good old days Brock?" Ash asked.

Brock laughed, "well, not exactly. There wouldn't be any Pokemon battles along the way… but we would be traveling together again. That would be something right?"

Misty's head perked up and her eyes held an excited gleam. "Yeah! Let's just grab a bag, throw some stuff in it and go! It would be great! Brock can put his map skills to use," All three of them shared a chuckle at his expense, "and we could even bring…" She stopped and looked around before saying in a hushed voice, "some of our Pokemon!"

Ash could feel the weight of several months of depression lifting in just the few hours he had been with his friends. It could have been the alcohol taking effect too, but he was pretty sure it was the former. "You think you guys could really get away? I mean it's not like I have much tying me down, but you both have jobs to hold down…"

"Oh yeah…" The two said in unison, the excitement in their voices slightly dampened by the reality they lived in.

"But hey I mean you guys get time off and stuff right? We could just as easily still do it!" Ash was trying to make up for ruining an otherwise fantastic enthusiasm.

Brock shrugged, "well yeah… that's true. But… it's just…"

"It just seemed so much easier back in the day when we didn't have jobs to keep us in one place Ash. It was really easy to forget about it for a minute just thinking about being with you guys again." Misty finished for him.

Ash almost wished he knew what it was like for them. But there was something about spending time with his Pokemon in battle, even if it was Illegal Street battling where only the desperate like him could see. He knew Misty and Brock did the same, but not nearly as much as he did. Ash was pretty dependant on it. "Yeah… but I like the idea. Let's do it!"

The three nodded in agreement, knowing that the plan would more than likely never happen. It was just nice to dream. Being together in the sun, eating in public, and talking like the old friends they were, they couldn't help but make plans. The waitress came and took their orders and they sat in silence for a long time, taking comfort in the fact that they were just with each other again. Their food came and they ate quickly, all making several comments about missing Brocks cooking and what they wanted him to make when they went on their trip together.

Eventually the meal and the small talk that came with it ended and they left, walking aimlessly down the street as they began reminiscing. Gym battles, times getting lost in the wilderness, and so many other common occurrences that ended in friendships, fights, and rolled eyes washed over them and they could only feel more connected to one another than ever before. Though they didn't say it, the three of them knew that they were the most that any of them would ever have and it both scared and thrilled them to know that they were together in the moment they held.

They had stopped in the park that Ash and Brock had met in that morning and laid in the grass as they talked, watching the clouds and shadows as the sun passed overhead. Finally Ash fell back into the present much later as the sun was dropping below the skyline to signal the coming night. "Whoa you guys! I gotta get back to my apartment and grab… uh…" He noticed the nearby people and lowered his voice so only his friends could hear him. "I gotta grab my Pokemon for the matches tonight."

Misty gave him a small smile, "you mean you don't carry yours on you?"

Brock and Ash both looked at her with a shocked expression, their eyes asking if she herself did something so crazy. To be caught with your Pokemon on your person, without a specific purpose such as work related assistance or the like and they would haul you off no questions asked. Not only that but they would also confiscate your 'illegal' Pokemon and return them to the wild.

Misty only shrugged at them, "what? A girls gotta have some danger in her life. Besides, I like living on the edge." She only smirked as they stared back at her, dumbfounded.

Shaking off his stupor Brock finally shook his head and ruffled Misty's hair. "Aww you rebellious kids." He had become especially fond of reminding Ash and Misty both that they were five years his junior. It was like since he was approaching thirty, his old man senses were already kicking in. That would have normally been the case at least, if they he wasn't just doing it to annoy the hell out of them. She shoved his hand away, "lay off grandpa!"

"Damn kids," Brock muttered as he laughed. "Well then let's escort Mr. Ketchum back to his residence to procure his provisions before we set off for the night shall we?"

Misty stood with a shrug and a hand up while Ash looked at them both, feeling a little confused. "You… you two are coming with me?"

Brock raised his eyebrows and smiled, "Well you always do better when were there for you. Remember the League?"

"Well… yeah that's true I guess. You guys do put me at ease…" Ash said slowly.

Misty rolled her eyes at him, "Screw that. If it weren't for us coaching you all the way through you wouldn't have made it passed the semi's, let alone the Elite Four!"

Ash balled up his fists and rose on the balls of his toes, now towering over Misty's shorter frame. It was a habit he had developed when he was younger and had just never broken himself of. Regardless, he stared down at the girl, fire blazing through his eyes and he wanted to shout at her, but this wasn't the time or the place to argue about their training tips. "I don't need your help to win a match." He hissed through clenched teeth.

Misty stared up at him, defiantly stoic, though on the inside she had begun to cower for fear of him striking her. He more than likely never would in a million years, but there was always the chance a person could change. "Calm down Ash, I was only joking jeez."

Brock patted his back, not sure if it was a good idea. "Yeah man come on, you know were always there for you."

Taking several deep breaths Ash calmed himself down and closed his eyes until he could speak at a normal tone again. People mocking his skills in training his Pokemon always pushed his buttons, just more so lately. "Yeah… I know. Sorry Misty."

"Damn right you're sorry, 'Mr. Ketchum.'" She said mockingly.

"Okay guys okay. Let's just… escort Ash back to his apartment so that he can get his things. Then we can go and be there for him and all will be good yeah?" Brock attempted to play the peace keeper, practicing for what he hoped would someday be the role of wise elder. He really needed a drink after dealing with these two and their arguing.

Ash and Misty nodded and looked at each other for a quick second before exchanging a brief hug. Together the three of them set off in silence towards Ash's apartment while the situation diffused itself. Ash spoke as they left the park. "So you guys are gonna be my cheer leaders tonight right?" He grinned until Brock slapped him in the back of his head, causing the three of them to laugh, quickly forgetting the tense moment they had had not five minutes before.


	7. Chapter 7 Into the Pits

Okay so for whatever reason the site wouldn't let me upload documents for the longest time, but now that it has, here is the 7th and hopefully long awaited chapter of Pokemon Apokelypse! I am very sorry that it took so long to get up, and the next one will be up in the next couple days afterward. I'm hoping to be very regular with this and want to finish this story. Thanks to everyone who has continued reading and to everyone who has started at any time.

Chapter 7: Into the Pits…

Ash and company went to his apartment complex, almost in a race against the fleeting sun as it set behind the skyscrapers of Cerulean. With his income the trainer was able to afford a very good standard of living and, though he would never admit to calling it by what it was, his friends always stopped for a moment to look at the building of condos from the outside. It stood like an obsidian spire jutting up from the ground and touched the sky in defiance of gravity. Ash never told them just how much the place had set him back, and he preferred not to think about it, especially with how much he had stored away. If anything he just believed in being prepared these days should he ever need to be on the run for any reason.

Brock whistled as the setting suns rays wrapped around the building, "I still feel like we should be waiting outside or something." Misty only nodded in agreement as she stared up at the buildings several floors.

"Get your asses up there and into my place." Ash only looked at the two of them with a raised eyebrow before he shoved them towards the doors. "Go!" He proceeded without waiting for them and they fell into step behind him. Marble floors greeted them with a regal red carpet leading up to the buildings front desk, which was occupied by one of the officer Jennys.

"Psst… Ash." Brock whispered to his friend.

"What?"

"Which one is she?" He nodded to the officer behind the desk who was quietly staring at a computer screen.

"Cerulean Jennys second Cousin on the Viridian side. And before you say a thing to her we don't have the time." He pointed to the elevators and Brock took one more sullen glance in the womans direction before he boarded the steel cage with his friends.

"Honestly Brock, why do you even try? You'll never get a Jenny or a Joy." Misty looked at him with a mixture of pity and curiosity.

"Now who ever told you that?" The man's eyes gleamed with a great pride and he crossed his arms, glancing slightly skyward. Both Misty and Ash stared at him for a long second in confusion before he chuckled in amusement. "Let me just put it this way. A lot of Jennys like the forceful dominant type. Very submissive."

And Joy…" A glazed over look came over his face and he smirked. "Well Joys generally like to be the ones taking over after working all day in a polite mood… and the mouths they've got! Oh, it makes me blush like a schoolboy at times." Brock chuckled at the confused and shocked expressions on both Ash and Misty's faces before he patted their heads, concluding his statements with: "I've laid a few in my time guys."

The elevator dinged to the seventeenth floor and Brock smiled and pointed to the opening doors. "Ah were here. Shall we get your Pokemon Mr. Ketchum?" He strode out confidently towards his friends home.

Misty stood with her eye twitching in disbelief and shock. "That… was more than I needed to know… I'm good friends with the Joy here!" She shook her head and walked out; trying to rid herself of the images that now plagued her mind. "Dammit Brock." She muttered.

Waiting until Misty rounded the corner Ash smirked and flicked the bill of his hat with a devious smirk. "Gotta get me a Jenny sounds like." He walked out to hear Mistys reaction, who was waiting for him around the corner. She stared at him for a long moment, sizing him up with a look that promised murder. He almost apologized for saying that, and felt a small tug on his heartstrings as he looked deeper into her eyes for other emotions that were swimming behind her clear green irises. Almost. She turned on the ball of her foot with a hmph and walked away after Brock.

Ash sighed and shook his head in regret for voicing that thought. "Can never fucking win…" He muttered to himself as he followed behind his friends. Misty had been the one to break off whatever it was they had going last time so what did she care? Besides, it wasn't like he would act on the thought… most likely at least. It was just something to ponder for later.

Reaching the doorway to his humble abode Ash looked on at his friends who waited for him to unlock the door as they leaned against the doorway, both of them with arms folded across their chests and eyes turned toward the floor. They could have been statues if he didn't know any better. He threw off the thought and unlocked it, entering as the door swung open. From somewhere inside he heard a sound of scuffling feet and an excited exclamation of "Pika!" Moments later Pikachu came out of the doorway to the kitchen on the right and soared from the floor into Ash's arms, nuzzling the trainer's chest in greeting. He had to stop leaving it alone for such long periods all the time. "Hey buddy, I brought some company this time."

Immediately his Pokemon's nose went to work, sniffing the air and it found the scent it was looking for almost immediately. Crawling up out of Ash's grasp with practiced ease it found his shoulder and saw Brock and Misty behind his trainer and, with another loud exclamation of excitement, launched itself into the air again and into the woman's arms. He rubbed up against her neck purring happily, small sparks of electricity arcing from his cheeks into the air around them, sending the hairs on their arms up into the air due to the static charge he created. While Misty giggled and gladly petted him, Pikachu wasted no time in jumping onto Brock in a similar fashion. When everyone had said their greetings and the electric mouse allowed them to go forward, Ash brought his friends in and shut the front door.

Misty removed her shoes first and stepped forward into the tiled hall. Immediately to the right was the kitchen while straight ahead was a large living room. Between the two was a dining room and to the left of all of this was a hallway that led towards Ash's bedroom, a guest bedroom, though it hardly saw use, and two smaller rooms for storage and another room if it was needed. Also down the hall was a workout room and beyond that a room for the trainers Pokeballs and his computer. Across from that room was his trophy case which stood as a painful reminder of happier times. The place really hadn't changed since she had been there last. The sheer size of the condo was ridiculous and was more of a decent sized house inside the building rather than an upscale apartment.

Brock whistled as he usually did upon entering his friend's residence before he turned and bowed with his arms held rigidly at his sides. "Is there anything you require Master Ash?"

Walking by his friends Ash swiped his hand across the top of Brock's head and rolled his eyes. "Come on were only gonna be here a few minutes." It wasn't that he had to get to the fights early or risk not participating tonight, he just liked to get there early to scope out the competition as they came in. There was always a good group of usuals as well as a large number of people who came and went from other fighting circuits around the region. There was still some kind of prestige to be had after all from Pokemon battling, but the renown which accompanied it was no where near as widespread. If your name made the papers these days for it, that either meant you were about to be arrested or you were awaiting sentencing.

He turned to his left and walked for the room that held his Pokemon that he had on hand at the moment. Even though the League rules were out these days, people we still only allowed a max of six Pokemon to battle with out of habit. Ignoring his trophy case he grabbed the door knob and entered the room holding his pokeballs, his screen saver filling the room with a soft light. He didn't even bother with the light as he walked to the wall opposite his computer and grabbed the balls from their perch on his shelf. He looked at the five of them before he put them in his bag. Charizard, Bulbusaur, Squirtle, Primeape, Kingler, and of course Pikachu. They were his partners and some of his closest friends. They had always stood by him throughout the years, though the last few had been hard on their relationship.

He heard Misty and Brock near the door, probably looking at his trophy case and remembering various details from their past. Pokemon was what really brought the three of them together, they were the force that had brought them together and the glue that had kept them traveling as a team for so many years. Even now their Pokemon were what brought them together. Ash grabbed the pokeballs from the shelf and put them into his backpack; he was gonna need them tonight.


End file.
